Andy Rubin’s Essential Phone is Now Official

You may not have heard of Essential Products or the Essential Phone before today, but there’s a good chance you know who Andy Rubin is. He is famous for co-founding Android Inc. in 2003 and laying the foundation of what is now the world’s most popular OS. So when Andy Rubin creates a smartphone through his company Essential, the world has to take notice.

The Essential Phone has all the classic ingredients of a flagship smartphone. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, the go-to SoC for flagships in 2017; and comes with Adreno 540 GPU, 4GB RAM and a healthy 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage. There is a 3,040 mAh battery on-board, which supports fast charging through the USB Type-C port and a 27W USB Power Delivery charging brick. The Essential PH-1 also comes with a dual rear-camera setup comprising of a 13MP RGB sensor with f/1.85 aperture and Hybrid Auto Focus (which combines Contrast, Phase Detect and IR Laser Assist Focus) and a 13MP Monochrome sensor to help in low-light scenarios. The front camera comprises of a 8MP shooter with f/2.2 aperture. The back and front cameras can shoot video at 30fps 4K.

While the insides of the phone are impressive, the outsides are equally unique. The Essential PH-1 takes forward the bezel-less trend with a display that touches the edges on three sides, wrapping around the front camera sensor. The 5.71″ QHD (2560 x 1312) display has radiused corners that go alongside the phone’s curves, giving it a distinct look. The phone is also built with a combination of titanium and ceramic, which Essential claims can survive a drop test ‘without a blemish’. The phone also does not have any distracting logos, but it also does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Essential Phone also comes with its own unique take on modular accessories. The back of the device features a magnetic connector with wireless data transfer capability. Essential will ship a 360-degree camera and a charging dock that connect to the phone with metal pogo pins.

The Essential Phone (PH-1) can be reserved today onwards for a price of $699. You can get the 360-degree camera combo for an introductory price of $749. Essentials is currently restricting itself to shipping in the US, and even then, there is no time frame given for when users can expect the device to ship. The phone will come in four different colors: Black Moon, Stellar Grey, Pure White and Ocean Depths.

What are your thoughts on Andy Rubin’s Essential Phone? Can the co-founder of Android leave his mark in the smartphone hardware market? Let us know in the comments below!